Paul Murunga analyses Quins' pool opponents as battle for 7s circuit glory heads to Dala
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 15.08.24. | 14:24
The Kakamega Ingo 7s champions have been placed in Pool A, which sees them lock horns with the Menengai Oilers, Mwamba RFC, and Strathmore Leos
Kenya Harlequin head coach Paul Murunga has admitted that his charges are in a tough Dala 7s pool slated for Saturday 17 to Sunday 18 August at the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium, Kisumu.
The Kakamega Ingo 7s champions have been placed in Pool A, which sees them lock horns with the Menengai Oilers, Mwamba RFC, and Strathmore Leos.
The Oilers head to Dala 7s as wounded soldiers, having crashed out of the quarterfinals in Kakamega after a narrow 8-5 defeat at the hands of crosstown neighbours Nakuru RFC.
They will be looking to bounce back and make their maiden semifinal on this year’s circuit. The Gibson Weru-coached side started the circuit in sixth place. They currently sit seventh on the log with 22 points.
The pool also has Strathmore Leos, who finished seventh in Kakamega after a 19-14 win over Kenyatta University in the Trophy final. This was a drop from their Christie 7s performance, where they finished in position four. They are currently placed fifth on the table after amassing 23 points.
Mwamba RFC, on the other hand, will be keen to improve on their 14th place. They only have four points.
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Speaking of their preparedness, the Quins’ boss noted that the group will be a stern test as all three opponents pose a significant threat.
"It's a tough pool. The three teams we are facing did not play well at the Kakamega Sevens, so we have to be on top of our game from the opening match to ensure we go deep in the tournament,” Pau offered.
Despite the challenge, the former Kenya 7s tactician was confident that his charges had all it took to overpower their opponents.
“The boys are in good shape, having played two consecutive finals. The mentality of the team is to win. We have a good crop of players with depth and hunger, so we wait and see what happens in Kisumu,” he revealed.
Pau was further proud of his protégé’s improvement in the past year.
“A year ago, we were making several errors in both attack and defense, but we have learnt our lessons, and we are very competitive this season,” he averred.
Quins sit pretty at the top of the table with 41 points and will be looking to extend their fine form to Kisumu. They finished the 2023 Dala 7s in position four and will be eyeing victory this time.
